The 10 best skiing breaks by train to take in 2020

Daniel is a London-based travel, science and environmental writer who has visited more than 60 ski resorts by train

Does getting to the slopes require airport queues and carbon- guzzling flights? Not a bit of it. There are plenty of resorts you can reach in style and comfort by train from the UK.

Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt can only really be described in superlatives. Under the constant view of the tooth-shaped Matterhorn, everything here is just achingly good. The skiing is tantalising, the slopes linked with Cervinia in Italy, accessed by the sumptuous Ventina run. Some of the easier pistes are reached via the cute Gornergrat railway. So good is the view of the Matterhorn from this part of the slopes that skiers actually slow down to gaze as they descend. Like the views, the creative endeavours of chefs on the mountain are unparalleled, and arguably the greatest challenge a skier faces here is prising themselves away from a lunchtime restaurant seat. Restaurant Alm specialises in fresh trout, reeled in from the adjacent fish ponds while over at Cervinia, Bontadini is renowned for its carpaccio with rocket and grana cheese. Oh, and the closest railway station to Zermatt? It’s in the heart of the village, of course. What did you expect?

By train: Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Lausanne, InterRegional to Visp, and local train to Zermatt. Rail journey time: 10 hours 50 minutes.

The Aravis mountain range is surely one of the most beautiful in the Alpine foothills. It’s also one of the quickest to reach by train, just a short hop from the vibrant lakeside city of Annecy. The resort has some cracking downhill runs and 125km of slopes, but if you prefer Nordic style, there are 36km of slopes at Beauregard, with vistas over the Col des Aravis. In the village centre, the Espace Aquatique des Aravis has an enormous outdoor heated pool, from where you can gaze up at the mountains while pondering whether your next move is to the hot tub, sauna or steam bath. The village buzz carries over into the evenings too, at spots such as as Les Caves du Paccaly, Le Bal, La Scierie and L’Ecluse, which has a glass dancefloor over a river.

By train: Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Annecy. From there it’s 35 minutes by bus or taxi. Rail journey time: 7 hours 37 minutes.

A household name among skiers, it isn’t – but a favourite for many, it certainly is. The hugely endearing village of Adelboden is set amid some of the most beautiful Alpine landscapes in Switzerland, which is certainly saying something. Linked with neighbouring Lenk, there are 86km of slopes, and the resort has an unhurried feel. The grand architecture dates back over a century, to an epoch when Brits first started making pilgrimages by train and it still has a refined ambience. The emphasis on spas, wellness and pampering helps. And the food? Exemplary Swiss fare: you’ll be torn between places such as the beautiful sun terrace of the 220-year-old Aebi restaurant and the rustic charms of the Chumihütte. But that’s a nice problem to have.

By train: Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Basel, Intercity to Bern and regional train to Frutigen. From there it’s 15 minutes by bus or taxi.Rail journey time: 8 hours 29 minutes.

No wonder people love Les Gets. The village has a friendly, familial feel and yet the ski area it accesses, the 600km Portes du Soleil, is vast. Despite so much terrain on the doorstep, there’s a very relaxed ethos to the resort. That is partly fuelled by the many quality foodie spots keeping skiers from clipping their skis back on. La Grande Ourse, a mountain restaurant on Mont Chery, has fairy-tale views over Mont Blanc. Down in the village, La Fruitière des Perrières is in former cheese-ripening caves more than 100 years old, and knocks out an inspiring mushroom fondue. Nearby, a new Prohibition-era speakeasy restaurant, Les Durs à Cuire, has a menu that reads like a newspaper, and a tantalising seven-hour-cooked lamb.

By train: Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Bellegarde and local train to Cluses. From there it’s 30 minutes by bus or taxi. Rail journey time: 8 hours 28 minutes.

Handsome doesn’t do it justice. Strolling through Alpbach, old chalets and grand hotels draped in a blanket of fresh snow, you might feel like you’ve been dropped into a postcard. No wonder Alpbach has been a winner of the hotly contested Most Beautiful Village in Austria awards. As well as the charming architecture, there are still 105 working farms here, imbuing the place with a traditional, grounded feel. And the slopes? The union between Alpbach and neighbouring Wildschönau has created the Ski Juwel area, with 109km of terrain. For lunch, find a cosy spot under the wooden beams in the Böglalm restaurant, famous for its spit-roast chicken marinade. Or visit the Zirmalm, with its open fire and welcoming atmosphere, run by a family who seem to have come straight out of The Sound of Music.

By train: Eurostar to Brussels, then ICE to Cologne and then AlpenExpress sleeper train to Jenbach. From there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. Rail journey time: 16 hours 46 minutes.

Slap bang in the middle of the massive Three Valleys ski area, Méribel has become a home of slope-loving Brits and French in almost equal measure. Its popularity stems in part from its central position, the perfect starting point to indulgein 600km of ski terrain. Courchevel is just one bubble lift away, St Martin de Belleville, Reberty and Val Thorens two or three, and the phrase ‘spoiled for choice’ doesn’t even cover it. But as well as slope options, Méribel offers a choice of villages. The lowest and oldest, Les Allues, seeps old-world Savoyard charm; Méribel Centre has the buzz; and Village and Mottaret super-quick access to the piste. Whether on slope or off it, you won’t be short of party options here, from the ski-booted mayhem of La Folie Douce and Le Rond Point to the Europop-pumping Loft. And after all the excitement of a stay here, you can glide home on the direct Eurostar ski train.

Although you zoom into Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Les Arcs’ closest station, your rail journey doesn’t quite end there. The resort has a funicular railway, whisking wide-eyed skiers up through the scenery from the valley floor to the first of its villages, Arc 1600, in just seven minutes. From there, access to 425km of superb ski terrain begins. This winter, the funicular has been completely redeveloped, with comfort in mind and a look that could be described as space-age chic. The resort has committed to developing sustainable initiatives, such as slowing down chairlifts at quiet times to save energy (giving skiers longer to enjoy the superlative views here). But it is also serious about improving the fun times, too: this season a new La Folie Douce bar, that epicentre of boot-bopping hedonistic abandon, opens on the slopes of Arc 1800.

By train: Eurostar ski train from London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice. From there it’s seven minutes by funicular to Arc 1600, with connecting buses to the other villages (taking 15-30 minutes). Rail journey time: 8 hours 18 minutes.

The renowned village of St Anton sits right on the railway line that runs between Zürich and Budapest, deep in the spectacular Arlberg Valley. Originally conceived in 1846 as a way to speed delivery times of English postal services to India, the train tracks now deliver skiers instead – into one of the Alps’ finest ski resorts. You’ll alight to a car-free village centre brimming with shops and bars that spill onto the 340km Arlberg ski area, linked with Lech and Zürs and a magnet for powder hunters who cherish the bountiful off piste. Between carving the slopes, the mountain dining and the après ski, make time to visit the Museum St Anton am Arlberg, which is a delight of a place. There are fascinating insights into how skiing developed from its pioneering early days, with incredible Alpine footage from filmmaker Arnold Fanck.

By train: Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Zurich and then RailJet to St Anton. Rail journey time: 10 hours 8 minutes.

If skiing didn’t exist, La Plagne would still have plenty going on to keep you entertained. The resort is famous for its Olympic bobsleigh and skeleton track, thrilling those who dare try it at speeds of 80-120km per hour. There’s also a 22m ice-climbing tower at Champagny-en-Vanoise, husky-dog sledding and paragliding. The resort has introduced an overnight escapade for couples, with a one-night sleep in a romantically refitted snowgroomer, with its own hot tub, up at 2,400 metres. Oh, and the skiing? A vast 425km of terrain, accessed by plenty of slope-side accommodation. As such, it’s a hugely popular destination for families and mile-hungry intermediate skiers alike. With 70 per cent of the slopes located above 2,000 metres, this is a snow-sure destination for those coming late season, too.

Don’t be fooled by Sauze d’Oulx’s outdated reputation. Sure, this Italian village used to be a magnet for Brits who thought that being ‘on the piste’ meant a lager-drinking tour of the bars in town. But that was in the 1980s. These days, Sauze’s clientele is a cosmopolitan mix of skiers who know that they have access to some of Italy’s best slopes – all 400km of them – in the Milky Way ski area. Weave your way around beautifully uncrowded slopes and you’ll find some real mountain-hut gems, too. Ciao Pais is one of these, hidden away behind the trees at the side of piste 29. From this stone-and-wood chalet, owners Mirko and Giusy conjure up Piedmontese specialities, rounded off with sumptuous homemade cakes. You won’t want to leave and if you refuse to do so, there are rooms you can rent too.

By train: Eurostar to Paris, then TGV to Oulx. From there it’s 15 minutes by bus or taxi. Rail journey time: 8 hours 59 minutes.

USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TRAIN TRAVEL TO THE ALPS

The new Rail Map of Europe, 2nd Edition (£11.99 + p&p from europeanrailtimetable.eu), is a fantastic companion for planning journeys.

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